Liquid jet producing device

ABSTRACT

1,124,368. Spray-producers. SWIMQUIP Inc. 12 Sept., 1966 [22 Oct., 1965], No. 40633/ 66. Heading B2F. An intermittently rotated sprayer suitable for watering or cleaning comprises stationary body members 10, 15, 20, a hollow generally cylindrical plunger member 27 located between cylindrical surfaces 23a, 26 and biased downwardly between further members 23, 32 by a spring 34, and a pipe 12 adapted to supply water intermittently to the housing formed by the members 10, 15 whereby the plunger 27 is reciprocated. Radial webs 19 beneath the member 20 define a plurality of outlet ports 21 and a pin (43), Fig. 6 (not shown) on the plunger cooperates with cam surfaces (41), (42) on the member 23 so as to rotate the plunger on each reciprocation by an amount which registers an outlet orifice 39 in the side wall of the plunger with an adjacent part 21. Tongues on a flange 31 on the plunger cooperate with grooves in the member 32 in order to guide the plunger and prevent relative rotation between the plunger and the said member. The intermittent water supply is controlled by a motor-actuated valve V. The top of the plunger is closed apart from a vent hole 29 and slits in the lower portions of the plunger side walls prevent grit &amp;c. from building up at the spring. The member 20 may be attached to the plunger or may be removed altogether.

Oct. 29, 1968 D. A. STANWOOD LIQUID JET PRODUCING DEVICE Filed Oct. 22, 1965 F16.

INVENTOR. Z7 flAV/D A. STA/VWOOD BY 2 L/ 4v? A Mg 2- M TTOR/VEYS United States Patent 3,408,006 LIQUID JET PRODUCING DEVICE David A. Stanwood, El Monte, Calif., assignor to Swimquip, Inc.', El Monte, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Oct. 22, 1965, Ser. No. 500,583

11 Claims. (Cl. 239-66) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to mechanisms for producing jets of liquid.

A liquid jet-producing device according to the present invention comprises a housing having a reciprocable plunger therein. The housing and the plunger have related camming means disposed and arranged so that intermittent pressurization of liquid supplied to the housing causes the plunger to reciprocate intermittently therein, and causes the plunger to rotate in the housing. A plurality of outlet ports are provided through the housing and an outlet orifice is provided through the plunger. As the plunger intermittently reciprocates in correspondence with the intermittent pressurization of liquid, the plunger rotates to register its outlet orifice with successive outlet ports to produce successive jets of liquid in different successive directions from the housing.

This invention relates to a mechanism for producing jets of liquid such as water jets and has for'an object to provide such a device by which the liquid jet is directed to successively different directions.

It is desirable for some purposes to direct liquid or water in the form of jets in various directions, for example for the purpose of watering or cleaning throughout an area. Devices are known which are capable of direct ing Water under pressure in the form of a jet and causing the jet to rotate through an angle or through the entire 360 around a center of rotation of the jet. Such devices generally utilize some form of mechanism to cause the jet carrying member to rotate. 7

It is sometimes desirable to play the jet in a given direction for a longer period of time than may readily be attainable in a constantly moving jet. The present invention provides such a jet which can be directed in any of a number of directions for a substantial time.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a fixed head comprising a plurality of ports, each directed in a different direction from the head; and the liquid jet is caused to flow through successive or different ones of the ports at intermittent intervals.

The invention is carried out by provision of a housing connectable to a source of liquid or water under pressure. Within the housing there is provided a plunger having a hollow with an opening to receive the pressurized liquid and closed or nearly closed, at the other end so that it is caused to move or lift by action of the .water pressure to cause an outlet orifice from this hollow plunger to register or conform with an outlet from the housing. This causes a jet of the liquid to be sent out from the orifice in a direction determined by the channel associated with the orifice. When the liquid pressure is then released, the plunger drops or recedes to move the outlet orifice out of registration with any outlet; which causes the jet to be discontinued.

A body member located adjacent to the plunger is provided with cam members engaged by a cam riding device fixed to the plunger. Thus when theplunger is'moved and then allowed to recede by application of liquid pressure followed by release of this pressure, the camming action rotates the plunger through some angle relative to the head; so that the next time the plunger is pressure actuated, its outlet orifice registers with another port of the 3,408,006 Patented Oct. 29, 1968 head to end the jet in a different direction than that of the preceding jet. Thus, when the liquid pressure is intermittently turned on and off, jets of the liquid will squirt from the plunger orifice intermittently through successive ones of the ports. The time periods of the jets will depend on the time of the pressurization periods.

The foregoing and other features of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed'description and the accompan'yingdrawing of whichi FIG. 1 is an elevation view in cross-section showing a jet producing device according to this .invention,'connected with a pipe provided with a valve for turning on and OH liquid pressure" in the pipe;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section view taken at line '22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of the upper portion of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section. view taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view taken at line 55 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 shows a detail of a camming means shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5.

Referring to the drawing, the jet device comprises a hollow cylindrical housing 10 reduced in diameter at its lower end 11 where it can be threaded to connect with a pipe containing liquid under pressure such as a water pipe 12 which will deliver water to the housing. The upper end of housing 10 flares outwardly in the general form of a cone 13 having a peripheral rim 14 which contains a body 15 flared outward at 16 to form a circular flange 17 which fastens within rim 14 of the housing by suitable screws 18. Extending upwardly from the cone 16 and the flange 17 there are a number of vertically extending radial Webs 19 over which is placed a flat top 20. An O-ring 51 prevents leakage of liquid between the body and housing. The webs provide a number of ports 21 arranged circumferentially around the periphery of the head and extending in a horizontal direction from a central region 22.

The several webs are all joined at their tops to the under surface of the circular cap 20 and their lower portions extend downwardly to meet the upper conical surface of member 16. A collar member 23 is fastened to the under side of body 15 by screws '24 passing through a circumferential flange 25 of the collar. This collar 23 extends downwardly from body 15 and has at its lower end an inner cylindrical surface 23a concentric with the longitudinal vertical axis of the device and of the same internal diameter as that of the inner cylindrical surface 26 of body 15.

A hollow cylindrical plunger 27, provided with a number of vertical slits 50 through the lower part of its wall and located concentric with the longitudinal axis of the device, is fitted to slide up and down within the cylindrical surfaces 23a and 26. The upper end of member 27 is closed by a horizontal top 28 preferably provided with a small vent opening 29. The lower end of the hollow plunger 27 is open at 30 and is provided at its lower end with an outwardly extending flange or collar 31. Surrounding the collar 31 is a cylindrical member 32 which extends upwardly around the lower portion of plunger 27 and concentrically therewith, the upper end of which is turned over at 33 to form an inwardly extending annular lip 33. Between the upper surface of flange 31 and the lower surface of lip 33 there is placed a compression spring 34. The arrangement is such that the spring 34 is at all times compressed between members 31 and 33, so that the force of the spring will tend to urge the plunger downward. It is desired that plunger 27 and member 32 shall not be rotatable relative to each other; and for this purpose the wall of member 32 is provided with one or more slits or grooves 37 into which a corresponding tongue or tongues 38 extending from flange 31 protrude, so that the tongue will ride up and down in the groove.

An outlet orifice 39 is formed in the upper portion of the cylindrical walls 27, this orifice having the form of a vertically extending slot of a width no greater than, and preferably somewhat less than, the distance between adjacent webs 19, as shown in FIG. 2. When the plunger is in its uppermost position, shown in FIG. 1, this slot extends from approximately the top of the cylindrical wall 27 down as far as the lower extremity 40 of the webs so that slot 39 is in registration with some one of the ports 21, and connects the port with the interior of cylinder 27. It is desired that each time the cylindrical plunger 27 moves up and down it will rotate by the amount which will register the outlet orifice 39 with the next adjacent one of the ports 21. The rotating movement of the cylinder 27 required to perform this is provided by camming means shown in FIGS. 4, and 6 in detail, as well as in FIG. 1. Thus, the internal cylindrical surface of member 23 above the portion 23a, is provided with continuous cammingsurfaces formed in the internal cylindrical wall of member 23 as shown in FIG. 5. This cam formation is provided by provision of alternate vertical and oblique surfaces extending away from plunger 27 and joined to each other at their tops and bottoms respectively. Thus, a vertical surface 41 is joined at its lower end to an oblique surface 42 which joins at its upper end with the next vertical surface 41. These vertical and oblique surfaces 41 and 42 have a width in the radial direction sufficient to accommodate the extremities of a pin 43 which is fixed in a position extending diametrically through the opposite walls of plunger cylinder 27 and protruding from opposite sides thereof sufficiently to engage along these cam surfaces. For this purpose, the vacant regions 44 between adjacent vertical surfaces 41 and oblique surfaces 42 are sufficient to accommodate the pin when the water pressure is removed from the plunger 27 so that the plunger drops down from its uppermost position shown in FIG. 1. The ends of the pin 43 will engage respective oblique surfaces 42; and as the plunger with its pin continues to come down, the plunger will be correspondingly rotated by action of the pin on the oblique surface; and the plunger will continue to retract until the pin engages the bottom 45 where the oblique camming surface joins the next vertical camming surface 41. This position 45 of the pin establishes the lowermost position of the plunger. When water pressure is again applied, the plunger 27 will move upwardly, but during the first part of this upward movement, there will be no rotation since the end of pin 43 will simply ride along vertical surfaces 41 of the cam member until the pin reaches the uppermost extremity of the surface 41. But as the plunger continues to rise, the pin will move above the member 23 and will move into the region of body member 15. The lower end of the inner cylindrical surface of body member 15 is provided with continuous camming surfaces similar to the surfaces 41 and 42 of member 23 except that the vertical and oblique camming surfaces of member 15 are oppositely disposed relative to those of member 23. Thus, referring to FIG. 6, when the plunger moves up to carry the pin up above a vertical surface 41 it engages a corresponding oblique surface of member 15. The oblique camming surfaces of member 15 are designated by the numeral 46 and the vertical surfaces by the numeral 47. The arrangement is such that when the pin 43 rises above a vertical surface 41 of member 23 it engages with an oblique surface 47 of member 15 which has the efiect of rotating the plunger 27 further in the direction which oblique surfaces 42 had rotated it during the downward movement of the plunger. The upward movement of the plunger will be determined by the resting of the plunger cap 28 against the lower surface of member 20. Then when the water pressure is released again the plunger 27 face 42 of member 23, which again will produce a further rotation of the plunger. The dimensions of the camming surfaces 41, 42, 46 and 47 are such that when the plunger has made a full movement down followed by a full movement up, the outlet orifice 39 will be brought from registration with one port of the head to the next adjacent port of the head; and this action will be repeated each time the water pressure is removed and turned on.

For the purpose of operating the jet device, the pressurized water line 12 is provided with a valve V by which the water pressure reaching the device 10 can be successively turned on and otfto produce the operation of the jet. It is contemplated that the valve will be of the type which operates by rotation of a valve pin or shaft'48 so that as this shaft 48 is rotated continuously in one direction it will successively turn the water. on and off. It is contemplated that this action of the shaft will be operated by a motor M connected with the valve shaft with the proper drive or gear ratio to turn the shaft rather slowly so the on-period and off-period may be substantial, for example a fraction of a minute to several minutes, or any other length of time.

The operation of the jet device should be apparent from the description given above. The water will be turned on and off from the housing repetitively by operation of valve V. Each time the valve is turned on so that the water pressure is applied to the housing 10, the pressure on the plunger members 28 and 31 will cause the plunger to rise against the compression of the spring, as the size of the opening 29 is not sufficient to release enough of the water sent into the plunger to prevent the plunger from rising.

As the plunger is rising the pin 43 is brought into engagement with cam surfaces 46 to position the outlet orifice in registration with a port 21. As soon as the top 28 of the plunger reaches the under surface of theflat top 20 of the device, which will occur when pin 43 is substantially at position 45a where the camming surfaces 46 and 47 join each other, water will no longer come out of opening 29; and all the water emitted from the plunger will then go through its outlet orifice 39 into whichever port 21 of the head the outlet orifice is in registration with. The pressure of the water from the pipe 12 will produce a jetof water horizontally in a radial direction from this outlet port.

When the valve is turned off, the release of the water pressure in the jet device 10 will cause the spring 34 to drop the plunger quickly to its lowermost position, and in this movement, the water residing in the device will be released through opening 29. The action of the pin 43 on cam surfaces 42 will rotate the plunger so that its outlet orifice will be turned part way toward the next port. Then when the water pressure turns on again the consequent upward movement of the plunger bringing the pin 43 up against the next oblique cam surface 46 brings the orifice to the next port of the head, from which the jet will be directed. In this way by the intermittant on and off action of the valve, the plunger will be intermittantly brought up and down, and each time it comes up it will send its water jet out of the next port around the circle; and in this way each successive jet will be directed in the next angular direction and jets will be produced in respective angular positions around the circle. During this up and down motion of the plunger, the compression of spring 34. maintains the top of lip 33 in engagement with the bottom surface of member 23. 1 1

As the plunger is rotated and indexed by the cam surfaces the member 32, which acts as a shell or housing for the spring, will of course rotate with the plunger, and the. lip 33 acts as a bearing against the lower surface of member 23. If this bearing lip 33 were notpresent, the spring would be seated against the fixed member 23 and would tend to wind up without turning, and then develop undesired torsion. a

The presence of the vertical slits 50 through the plunger will suffice to relieve any differentials in the pressure of liquid within the plunger and liquid in the region of the spring between the plunger and the spring housing 32; and the flow of liquid from the spring region through these slits tends to scavenge and remove grit, dirt and the like from building up at the spring.

Modifications such as may occur to anyone skilled in the art may be made within the scope of this invention. For example, variations may be made in the form of the indexing cam surfaces. The term oblique as used herein to describe cam surfaces refers to the fact that they are non-parallel to the movement of the plunger; but they need not necessarily be straight or planar surfaces.

It will further be recognized that other modifications may be made in the arrangement of the plunger and its outlet orifice. For example, cap 20 instead of being fixed relative to the housing as shown in FIG. 1, may instead be attached to the top of plunger 27 in the same position shown in FIG. 1. In such case the opening 29 at the top of the plunger, and also the webs 19, would become unnecessary and would be omitted. The liquid jets would then be emitted in the direction of the plunger orifice 39 beneath the cap 20, in the space between the cap and body member 16. Actually the circular cap 20 could also be eliminated in particular situations, in which case the jets would be emitted from orifice 39 of the plunger and the directions of the successive jets would be established by the directional effect of orifice 39 alone, which could be proportioned to give the desired directivity. But in this event it would usually be desirable to provide at least some form of lid or cap positioned directly above the outlet of orifice 39 against which the upward component of thrust of the liquid forced up through the plunger would push, in order to aid in forcing the plunger upward against the spring and the frictional effect of the camming action.

It will be recognized that by my invention there is provided a device which effectively sends a jet of liquid or water intermittently in different angular directions and furthermore the operation can be readily performed by a simple valving mechanism connected with the incoming liquid line. Thus the time of each jet in any par ticular direction may readily be adjusted or controlled.

The invention is not limited to the particular embodiments illustrated and described, which are given by way of illustration rather than limitation, and the invention is not limited except by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A liquid jet-producing device for cleaning walled surfaces of liquid containers comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in the walled surface of a container, means for sending the liquid into the housing under pressure, a reciprocable plunger within the housing and having an outlet orifice, fixed camming means attached to the housing, related camming means on the plunger, said fixed and related camming means being in engagement with each other causing rotation of the plunger relative to the housing each time the plunger reciprocates, a plurality of outlet ports through said housing arranged to emit jets of liquid along said walled surface in different directions from the housing (at substantially equal angles) from a line along which the plunger reciprocates, whereby when the liquid is intermittently pressurized, the plunger reciprocates intermittently in correspondence therewith to register its orifice with successive outlet ports and produces successive jets of the liquid in different successive directions from said housing to clean said walled surface.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the outlet ports direct the jets in a direction substantially perpendicular to the line along which the plunger reciprocates.

3. A device according to claim 1 in which means attached to the plunger urges it to retract against the pressure of the liquid to move the orifice out of registration with the housing outlet.

4. A device according to claim 1 in which the plunger has a shoulder and a shell having a shoulder surrounds the plunger and a spring is compressed between the shoulders, tending to force the shell against a member fixed to the housing.

5. A device according to claim 1 in which one of said cam means comprises camming surfaces oblique to the direction of reciprocation of the plunger.

6. A device according to claim 5 in which the camming surfaces are fixed to the housing.

7. A device according to claim 1 in which one of said cam means comprises two sets of camming surfaces, each set containing surfaces oblique to the direction of reciprocation of the plunger, the oblique surfaces of one set being oblique in one direction relative to the direction of reciprocation and the oblique surfaces of the other set being oblique in the opposite direction relative to the direction of reciprocation.

8. A device according to claim 7 in which each of said sets of camming surfaces contains surfaces substantially parallel to the direction of reciprocation of the plunger, the said parallel surfaces interconnecting the oblique surfaces of each set.

9. A device according to claim 4 in which opening means through the plunger communicates from the interior of the plunger to the space between the plunger and the shell to permit draining and scavenging from the region of the spring.

10. A device according to claim 1 in which a cap is located above the plunger, said cap providing outlet port means with which the plunger outlet orifice registers each time the liquid is pressurized in the housing.

11. A liquid jet-producing device for cleaning walled surfaces of liquid containers comprising a housing adapted to be mounted in the walled surface of a container, means for sending the liquid into the housing under pressure, a plurality of outlet ports arranged in different directions through the housing, a reciprocable plunger mounted in the housing and having an outlet orifice in registration with one of said outlet ports, fixed camming means attached to the housing, related camming means on the plunger, said fixed and related camming means being in engagement with each other, causing rotation of the plunger relative to the housing each time the plunger reciprocates, said outlet ports being arranged in a substantially flat plane, whereby when the liquid is intermittently pressurized, the plunger reciprocates intermittently in correspondence therewith to register its orifice with successive outlet ports to produce successive jets of liquid along said walled surface in different directions from said housing to clean said walled surface.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,678,845 5/1954 Fitter 239-66 X 2,793,908 5/1957 Carver 23966 3,018,788 1/1962 Perlis 239-66 X 3,247,968 4/ 1966- Miller 4-196 M. HENSON WOOD 111., Primary Examiner.

V. M. WIGMAN, Assistant Examiner. 

